Music-indicator.



No. s77,3s9.- TATENTND JAN. 21, 1908.

T. E. HOBANT.

MUST@ INDICATOR.

APPLIGATIONPILBD SEPT. 19, 1905.

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'PATENTED JAN. 21, 190s.

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Emmy/Enma@ F. E. HOBAR'I. MUSIC INDICATOR; APPLIGATIQN FILED SEPT. 19.1905.

t A v v K. i. S l@ mNmlN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK EARL HOBART, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONALGONSERVATORY OF MUSIC.

MUSIC-INDICATOR.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

Application filed September 19| 1905 Serial No. 279.138.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK EARL I-Io BART, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful Music-Indicator, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to means for indicating upon a keyedinstrument notes, chords, and the like.

The object is to provide a 'simple structure of a novel nature which canbe readily applied to a piano or other keyed musical instrument, willproperly indicate the various chords, notes, scales, and the like, andwill not only indicate the same' in different keys, but will alsodisplay the relation between corresponding major and minor keys.

A further object is to provide a novel structure of the above characterthat is exceedingly simple so that it can be cheaply manufactured.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of a piano, showing the indicator in place thereon. Fig. 2 is aview in elevation on an enlarged scale of the indicator, portionsunnecessary to an understanding of the invention being broken away. Fig.3 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of the supporting member. Fig.4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is asimilar view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated, a support is provided in the form of abar 5, triangular in cross section, and preferably, though notnecessarily, constructed of wood. One of the faces, as 6, of the supportis provided with a cushioning strip 7, or' felt or other suitablematerial, which is adapted to rest upon the keys of a piano or othermusical instrument, and thus support one of the faces, as 8 in an outerposition and at an inclination. The portions on opposite sides of thisouter face 8 are cut away and provided with longitudinally disposedgrooves 9, constituting guideways and forming outstanding flanges 10. Onone end portion of the outer face 8 is located a key signature iinderscale, divided into an upper section 11 and a lower section 12, eachsection including a staH, on which the diierent key signatures areshown, the explanations of said signatures being arranged above or belowthe same, as fully illustrated in Fig. 3. Thus the lower section has thesignatures of the major keys while the upper section comprises thesignatures of the minor keys. On an intermediate portion ol the outer'face S is located another scale 13, showing the relative major andminor keys, the relative signatures being located one over the other.

Slidably associated with the above described support is a carrier in theform of a metal plate 14, that is located over the outer 'face S of thesupport and has its margins inturned, as shown at 15, and slidablymounted in the grooves or guideways 9, thus being slidably interlockedwith the iianges 10. The outer or exposed face of the carrier 14 isprovided with what may be termed a key table,7 consisting of a series ofsuitably designated dili'erently colored characters, which maybeexplained by rules or instructions for the use of the device, thedesignations being clear to those skilled in the art. These diii'erentcharacters include suitable pointers 1 6, which are located directlyabove the keys that the characters indicate when the instrument is beingused. The carrier has an opening 17 at one end, constituting anindicator which registers with the dillerent key signatures of the keysignature 'finder scale so that said signatures will be exposed throughthe opening. Another opening 18, arranged in an intermediate portionofthe carrier plate simultaneously coperates with the characters of therelative value scale 13, the two openings and the scales being sodisposed that, when one of the key signatures oi' the major scale isexposed in the opening 17, the same major key signature together withthe minor key signature of which it is the relative major, will beexposed through the opening 1S. This, it is believed will be clear byreference to Figs. 1 or 2. Handles 19 and 20, located respectively onthe opposite ends of the support and carrier constitute convenient meansfor relatively sliding the same.

In use, the device is placed upon the black keys of a piano or othermusical instrument with the key signature or inder scale properlylocated over the notes of an octave. That is to say, the lower maj orkey signatures of the scale 12 are placed over the keys designated bythem, thereby positioning the inldicator'upon the keyboard. Therefore,upon adjusting the carrier with respect to the key finder scale, the keytable will be brought into coperative relation with the different keysof the key-board, and the same can thus be readily ascertained andplayed with ease and expedition. For example, referring to Fig. 1, theindicator having been properly placed upon the key-board if it isdesired to play in the key of C major, it is only necessary to slide thecarrier 14 until C in the lower section of the key finder scale appearsin the opening 17. This will position the characters of the key tableover the proper keys of the instrument, and unmistakably point them out.'Now assuming that it is desired to find the relative minor key of C,reference is had to the signature opening 18 when it will be found thatC is the relative Vmajor of A minor. Consequently it only becomesnecessary to again slide the carrier until the minor key signature A ofthe upper section 11 of the key finder scale is eX- posed through theopening 17, whereupon the indicators of the key table will be properlypositioned to point out the keys of said minor key, the L major 3rd. andminor 6th. indicators being of course employed in lieu of thecorresponding major key indicators. On referring to Fig. 2, it will benoted that when the carrier plate is located with the major keysignature Gp exposed in the opening 17, it will be found by reference tothe central opening that Gb is the relative major of Eb minor, andtherefore a further adjustment of the carrier to expose the signatureEl? minor will position the indicators on said carrier over the properkeys. Consequently it will be apparent that major and relative minorkeys can be readily ascertained. Moreover the structure can beinexpensively manufactured for the parts are exceedingly simple and thevarious characters can be readily printed, stamped or otherwise appliedthereto.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunder- .l

stood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to Without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. A

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupport having a key signature finder scale, and a scale indicative ofthe major keys and their relative minor keys, of an adjustable carriermovably mounted on the support and having a key table composed ofindicators that register with the keys of a key-board, said carrier alsohaving indicating means associated with the key signature finder andwith the relative major and minor scales and simultaneously registeringwith the corresponding relative indicators thereof.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupport adapted to be placed upon a key-board and having a key signaturefinder scale comprising sections one of which comprises major keysignatures, the other comprising minor key signatures, said support alsohaving a scale of the major key signatures and their relative minor keysignatures disposed in coperative relation, and a carrier movablyassociated with the support and having indicating means associated withboth sections of the key signature inder scale and with the major andcorresponding minor key signature scale.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupport having a key signature finder scale, and a scale indicative ofmajor keys and their relative minor keys, said scales being located onthe outer face of the support, of an adjustable carrier plate movablymounted on the support and having a key table comprising symbols adaptedto register with the keys of a key-board, said carrier covering thescales of the support and having openings simultaneously exposing asignature on the key signature finder scale and the corresponding majorand minor signatures in the other scale.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupport arranged to be placed upon a key-board and having a keysignature finder scale comprising sections, one of which consists ofmajor key signatures, the other comprising minor key signatures, saidsupport also having a scale of major key signatures and their relativeminor key signatures disposed in coperative relation, and a carrierslidably mounted on the support and movable over the scales, saidcarrier having openings, one of which is movable over the key signatureiinder scale to expose the signatures thereof, the other beingcorrespondingly movable over the other scale.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK EARL HOBART.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERs, S. GEORGE TATE.

